Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-10
THE FEDERATION OF LABOR

The rapid and gigantic growth OF the new power
in the labor world which has come to the front
this year under the title OF the american Fedora
ton Of Labor" will be made known at It's national
convention, which is TO be opened In Baltimore on
the 18th day OF December and which will be the
most important for trades unionism ever held In
the United States. There Will be delegates from
organized trades and unions, national, state and
central, in the leading branches OF industry and
from all parts OF the country. Their business will
be to strengthen the framework or this formidable
young federation, TO lay down its policy regarding
the larger ISSUES In which It is concerned 70 settle
its relations with the Knights OF Labor, and TO
take action upon various questions that are of
practical interest TO its constituents now number
Ing very nearly 600 900 working people, all trades
unlonlsts. The federation Is not in reality, new
organization, but is the revival OF an old body
which had fallen into decay. at the time IL was re-
organized, under new leadership. year ago.
THE MEN AT THE HEAD IT.
One cannot help being surprised by o visit 70
the headquarters OF this new body OF magical
growth in sth street. OF this city, where prepara-
lions are being made for the national convention
to be in session next Monday. You meet there
Samuel Gompers, president or the Federation and
interested. You find him to be man OF striking
face, strong features clear mind, broad views, de-
ternined purpose, rare knowledge OF economic
principles and long experience as a labor organ
n.r. You may also chance 70 meet there the sec
rotary OF the Federation, p. J. MCGUIRE, who Is
likewise an O1icer OF the Brotherhood OF Carpen-
Jers, q man VINO for a dozen years has stood in
the foremost file OF the thinkers and organizers OF
the army OF unionism. No one can look at these
two leaders OF the young Federation without being
impressed by them. Both Of them are OF massive
head and stalwsrt frame; both bear the stamp OF
IDENTITY been trained for hardship and battle In the
camp of the horny handed host which they serve
They are wel matched
quarters, that these two men stand as the chief
ofcers OF a body which, by long and rapid strides
without noise or 6oasting, has, within year, got
the world Its membership, as 1 have said, is
100000 strong, all trades lnionists, and almost
trades are Inscribed upon It's rolls, and as YOU
look through the long list you md the toilers IN
foundries, factories, and mines, In the building
trades, the clothing trades, the food-producing
trades, the transportation industries, and in the
workshops OF almost every variety OF handicraft
saw that she memSsrs n TINS ss
GRAFTON were carried on In body to some unin-
habited land and supplied with the necessary food
New York. and furnish 1t with ali the comforts,
conveniences and appliances OF Life to be found In
NO man will deny that such an organization. Co
must, If directed by sound sense. judgment and
OF American industry not TO be OVERLOOKED py
Grated trades anlonis1. established upon : ma
methods and management from those OF the
Knights OF Labor.
THE FEDERATION AND TIE KNIoHra
One OF the difllcult but unavoidable duties i'm
posed upon the national convention In Baltimore
will relate to the attitude OF the new Organization
toward the order Of the knights Of Labor. There
Is in the Federation heavy force that Is not ayerse
to q proclamation OF war upon the order. They
declare that the latter has shown It's hostility 70
the trades-union principles upon which the FED
Grafton 10 founded, and that the Knights OF Labor
executive board especially has for years directed
It's energies toward the destruction OF some OF the
most useful trades unionstn the country. the FED
GRAFTON, In fact Is o revolt against the methods
and the managers OF the order, and there are men
In both VINO hold that one or the other must be
driven 70 the wall The leaders Of the Federation
tell how they trted again and again last year 20
form treaty OF peace and cooperation with the
leaders OF the order, and how all their advances
were spurned With contumely. There Is no Ques-
ton that t wiz De hard 70 repress the beligerent
managers Of the Two great labor Organizations
thaS now stand as rivals In the United states,
especially In view OF the fact that the newer
body his grown At the expense o. The
c10eg. and that the memborlhlp Which she laksef